Life-boat.



curved line, as at 11.

length of the boat bottom including the V tapered portions thereof, are keelsons 12, of H which there are two. The outer frame work FREDERICK WILLIAM BOULTON, OF BOOTLE, NEAR LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

LIFE-BOAT.

Application filed August 26, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it-knownthat I, FREDERICK WILLIAM BOULTON, asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Bootle, near Liverpool, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a life-boat of the flat bottom type designed with a view to increase the strength and seating capacity thereof; to provide for the general comfort, safety and convenience of passengers and crew; and to economize space in the stowage of a life-boat upon a vessel deck.

Other and further objects of the present invention reside in the providing of general details of construction and arrangement and combination of parts as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and finally claimed. 7 v

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which:

Figure 1, is aview in plan of the life-boat embodying the invention, the one side being broken away to disclose a detail of construction. Fig- 2, is a view in longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3, is a view in transverse section taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4:, is a similar view taken upon the line H of Fig. 2..

Generally considered, the life-boat 10, is of the flat bottom type, and its bottom tapers slightly upwardly, fore and aft upon a Extended the full or shell of the life-boat may be of usual construction. In order to add strength and rigidity to the shell sides, transversely disposed members 15, are present, of which there are six. These members extend from gunwale'to gunwale, as shown. These members comprise plankingpdisposed edgewise, and asshown in Fig. 3, are somewhat U- tanks 22.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 11, 1916.

Serial No. 47,505.

shaped in configuration, gradually tapering off toward the respective gunwales. Within: the shell thus constructed is an inner frame work embracing longitudinal bulkheads 1'6, and transverse bulk-heads 17, which bulk-heads are spaced apart from the outer shell and extend upwardly but about halfway of the height of the lifeboat, and

provide a passenger receiving compartment. The space surrounding this compartment is preferably utilized for containing buoyancy tanks 18, upon the starboard and port sides bers 15. Thus staving in of the shell at any individual compartment leaves the remainlng compartments ntact, with a buoyancy tank in each, it being understood of'course that all parts of the boat are made water tight according to the boat builders art. Within the passenger compartment and built upon the thwarts of members 15, are seats 21, beneath which may be stored bread I cupied by the crew or others manning the lifeboat, and are separate and apart from those occupied by the passengers. To accommodate additional passengers fore and aft, seats 24, are provided upon the deck, as shown. Beneath these may be stored oil tanks 25, fitted for distributing oil on the water, the object of which is to prevent the sea from breaking on board. To provide for the convenience and comfort of the passengers and crew, private retiring compartments' 26, equipped with proper toilet facilities are present, preferably upon the for- Upon the starboard and port ward deck, as shown. These compartments are formed by partitions 27, joined to the outer shell, in combination with movable hoods 28. The hoods are formed from suitable material of a pliable nature and are cothe boat gunwales when in collapsed position, see Fig. 1. Obviously, masts, oarlocks, oars, paddles and other accessories may be provlded as usual to fully equlp the boat,

and hooks 31, at each end of the boat are present, for use in lowering the same from clavits.

A life-boat thus constructed and equipped possesses the advantage of maximum passenger and crew accommodating facilities according reasonable comfort to both combined with minimum space occupying dimensions for stowage edgewise upon a vessel deck.

WVhat I claim is:

1. A flat bottom life-boat embracing spaced inner and outer frames to provide a central passenger receiving compartment and surrounding buoyancy chambers, the outer frame being extended in fixed position for an appreciable distanceabove the top of the inner frame, decks covering the spaces between adjacent frames and partitions, each embracing a horizontal and two vertical members disposed athwart the life-boat and each extended in a continuous manner from gunwale to gunwale to intersect both the central compartment and the starboard and port buoyancy chambers.v

2. A flat bottom life-boat embracing spaced inner and outer frames to provide a central passenger receiving compartment and surrounding buoyancy chambers, the outer frame being extended in fixed position for an appreciable distance above the top of the inner frame, decks covering the spaces between adjacent frames, partitions, each embracing a horizontal and .two vertical members disposed athwart the life-boat and each extended in a continuousmanner from gunwale to gunwale to intersect both the central and the starboard and port buoyancy chambers to provide individual compartments, and seats within the passenger compartment and upon deck arranged athwart the boat, said seats being supported in fixed position by said partition member.

3. A flat bottom life-boat embracing spaced inner and outer frames to provide a central passenger receiving compartment and surrounding buoyancy chambers, the

outer frame being extended in fixed position for an appreciable distance above the top of the inner frame, decks covering the spaces between adjacent frames, partitions each embracing a horizontal and two vertical members disposed athwart the life-boat and each extended in a continuous manner from gunwale to gunwale to intersect both the central and the starboard and port buoyancy chambers, passenger seats arranged athwart the boat within the central compartment and supported by the horizontal members, seats for the crew located upon the decks and supported by the vertical members, said seats being also disposed athwart the body, and retiring compartments for at least one end of the life-boat located upon said deck.

4:. A fiat bottom life boat embracing spaced inner and outer frames to provide a central passenger receiving compartment and surrounding buoyancy chambers, the outer frame being extended in fixed position for an appreciable distance above the top of the inner frame, decks covering the spaces between adjacent frames, partitions each embracing a horizontal and two vertical members disposed athwart the life-boat and extended from gunwale to gunwale in a continuous manner to intersect the central compartment and the buoyancy chambers, retiring compartments for at least one end of the life-boat located upon said decks, and collapsible screens operative for rendering private said retiring compartments.

5. A life-boat construction embracing spaced inner and outer frames to provide a central passenger compartment and surrounding buoyancy chambers, decks covering the spaces between adjacent frames, substantially U-shaped members disposed athwart the life-boat from gunwale to gunwale and intersecting the starboard and port buoyancy chambers to provide a series of individual compartments, seats within the passenger compartment and upon the deck and supported by said U-shaped members, retiring compartments for at least one end of the boat located upon deck and collapsible screens operative for rendering private said retiring compartments.

6. A life-boat construction embracing a central passenger compartment, starboard and port decks in a plane above said compartment for accommodating a boat manning crew, retiring compartments for at least one end of the boat located upon the boat deck, and a collapsible frame equipped with a hood operatively mounted with respect to each retiring compartment for rendering the same private, each frame being shaped to correspond to the contour of the boat gunwale and to nest therewith when in collapsed position.

7. A life-boat structure embracing a central passenger compartment, starboard and contolir of the boat gnnwale and nest thereport decks in a plane above said compartwith when in collapsed position. 1 ment for accommodating a boat manning In testimony whereof, I have hereunto crew, retiring compartments for at least one signed my name.

*- end of the boat located upon said decks and FREDERICK WILLIAM BOULTON.

a hinged frame for each of said retiring Witnesses: compartments provided with a hood, said WILLIAM J. JACKSON, frame being shaped to correspond to the HELEN M. BYRNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,.

Washington, 1).0. 

